Rafa Benitez will push for an “internal debate” about Newcastle United’s approach to transfer business - but insists those discussions will remain private and will remain on hold for the foreseeable future.

The Spaniard’s focus at the moment is on improving the squad he has at his disposal to ensure they secure Premier League survival.

Newcastle head to relegation rivals Crystal Palace on Sunday, with the Magpies just one point above the drop zone in 14th place.

Ever since Wednesday’s 11pm January transfer-window deadline passed, Benitez and his staff have diverted their attention towards bringing the best out of their players, rather than “wasting energy” discussing targets who they failed to secure.

Newcastle United players in training ahead of Crystal Palace game (Image: Newcastle United)

On Thursday morning, Benitez sat down in his office with new loanee striker signing Islam Slimani to talk through how they can get the best of him in a black-and-white shirt.

Then, the following day, Benitez had a video-analysis session with four of the Newcastle players who were involved in Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw with Burnley in order to highlight areas where they can improve.

“That is another debate for the future, an internal debate,” Benitez replied when asked if he feared his hard work was being wasted due to a lack of professionalism from those above him given a third-successive frustrating transfer window in a row.

“My priority is to make sure the team is performing. You know from the beginning, from January 1, we are working but now the window is gone, it’s finished. That’s it.

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“I was talking to Slimani in my office when he came [on Thursday], about his position, so I’m now learning about him.

“My job now is to analyse him so I can improve him a little bit. About the other things, we have plenty of time to talk about that [in the future].”

Slimani and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka arrived on loan on deadline day, while Kenedy completed a temporary move to Tyneside a week earlier.

Benitez had wanted his business finalised by the middle of January at the latest and believes Newcastle potentially missed out on four additional points as a result by drawing home games against Swansea City and Burnley.

Newcastle United players in training ahead of Crystal Palace game (Image: Newcastle United)

But, though Benitez admits he will make his feelings clear to the United hierarchy about their January-window methodology at some stage, those discussions will be put on hold for now - and will remain private.

“What I said before is I don’t need to create a debate about that. Why? Because it has no sense,” Benitez said when asked his opinion on Newcastle’s approach to transfer business last month.

“The way to improve things is not just coming here, saying this and that - January has finished. Now what we have to do is improve our players.

“The first thing I did [on Friday] morning was to pick four players and show them the clips [from the game with Burnley] and show them what they did wrong and what they did right; ‘Can we improve that? We have to improve that.’

“My staff, since the end of the window, have been sending messages early in the morning: ‘Can we do this?’ We were not talking about missing out on this player or the other one. The transfer window has finished and now we have to improve the players.”

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Palace sit one place and two points above Newcastle in the table ahead of Sunday’s crucial relegation clash.

When Roy Hodgson first took over in south London, Palace had lost their first seven games and were rooted to the bottom of the table.

But the former England manager has led a revival at Selhurst Park - and, though Benitez was complimentary of the job Hodgson has done, he stresses he was surprised the Eagles were in such a perilous position in the first place.

Any side who can boast attacking talent like Wilfried Zaha, Christian Benteke and former Newcastle winger Andros Townsend should never have been rooted to the bottom, believes Benitez.

“I wasn’t surprised because you just have to look at the players he had when he took over,” Benitez said of the job Hodgson has done at Selhurst Park so far.

“The three strikers, like Zaha, Townsend and Benteke - the value of these players is absolutely massive. For me, they can make the difference.

“They are doing well now but it was a surprise that they were so far off the middle of the table.”